Evolve2 30 SE vs Evolve2 85 Comparison

Compare Evolve2 30 SE vs Evolve2 85 side by side: specs, ratings, pros and cons, and which one fits your room best.

On this page
Jabra Evolve2 30 SE
Evolve2 30 SE
Jabra Evolve2 85
Evolve2 85

At a Glance

Evolve2 30 SE

The Jabra Evolve2 30 SE is a wired USB headset for desk work. It has 28 mm speakers, two microphones (one analog MEMS and one analog ECM), a boom arm and a busylight.

View on Jabra (opens in a new tab)
Best For
Desk workers
Style
On-ear headband (stereo or mono)
Weight
125 g
ANC
None
Mics
2 (1 analog MEMS + 1 analog ECM)
Boom Mic
Yes (boom arm)
Talk Time
—
Connect
Wired USB-A or USB-C (USB-C/A SKUs)
Certified
Microsoft Teams (variant), Alcatel-Lucent, Avaya, Cisco, Unify, Mitel, Citrix
Evolve2 85

The Jabra Evolve2 85 is Jabra's top over-ear office headset. It has 40 mm speakers, digital hybrid ANC using four microphones, and ten microphones in total (4 analog and 6 digital MEMS) with a discreet hidden boom arm.

View on Jabra (opens in a new tab)
Best For
Open offices
Style
Over-ear headband
Weight
286 g
ANC
Digital hybrid ANC (4 mics)
Mics
10 (4 analog + 6 digital MEMS)
Boom Mic
Yes (discreet hidden boom arm)
Talk Time
26 h
Connect
Bluetooth, USB-A/USB-C Bluetooth adapter (Link 390), 3.5 mm cable
Certified
Leading UC vendors; Microsoft Teams Open Office (variant)

Review Scores Compared

Expert Score

  • Evolve2 30 SE8.8/10 Leads
  • Evolve2 858.6/10

Voice & Mic Clarity

  • Evolve2 30 SE7.8/10
  • Evolve2 858.7/10 Leads

Comfort & Ergonomics

  • Evolve2 30 SE9.7/10 Leads
  • Evolve2 859.0/10

Connectivity & Range

  • Evolve2 30 SE—
  • Evolve2 858.5/10

Battery & Charging

  • Evolve2 30 SE—
  • Evolve2 857.4/10

Certification & Controls

  • Evolve2 30 SE9.3/10
  • Evolve2 859.3/10

Why Evolve2 30 SE Beats Evolve2 85 (and Vice Versa)

Why Evolve2 30 SE beats Evolve2 85

  • Better comfort & ergonomics: 9.7 vs 9.0 out of 10
  • Weight: 125 g vs 286 g
  • Cable Length: 1.5 m vs 1.2 m

Why Evolve2 85 beats Evolve2 30 SE

  • Better voice & mic clarity: 8.7 vs 7.8 out of 10
  • Materials: Leatherette-covered foam headband and ear cushions vs Leatherette, PC and PC/ABS plastic, stainless steel
  • Driver Size: 40 mm vs 28 mm
  • Sensitivity: 117 dB @ 1 mW / 1 kHz vs 115 dB @ 1 mW / 1 kHz
  • Microphones: 10 (4 analog + 6 digital MEMS) vs 2 (1 analog MEMS + 1 analog ECM)
  • Connection: Bluetooth, USB-A/USB-C Bluetooth adapter (Link 390), 3.5 mm… vs Wired USB-A or USB-C (USB-C/A SKUs)

Review-score leads of 0.5+ points out of 10 first, then specs where only one comes out ahead.

Full Specifications

General

Evolve2 30 SEEvolve2 85
Best ForDesk workersOpen offices
Wearing StyleOn-ear headband (stereo or mono)Over-ear headband
VariantsStereo, Mono; USB-A, USB-C, USB-C/A; MS and UC—

Design & Build

Evolve2 30 SEEvolve2 85
Weight125 g Better286 g
MaterialsLeatherette, PC and PC/ABS plastic, stainless steelLeatherette-covered foam headband and ear cushions Better
Ear CushionsLeatheretteSoft audio foam, leatherette
Headband—Ultra-soft foam covered in leatherette
Dimensions179 x 136 x 54 mm (stereo)199 x 160 x 77 mm

Audio

Evolve2 30 SEEvolve2 85
Driver Size28 mm40 mm Better
Frequency Response20 Hz - 20 kHz (music); 100 Hz - 12 kHz (speak)20 Hz - 20 kHz (music); 100 Hz - 8 kHz (speak)
Bluetooth Codecs—SBC, AAC
Sensitivity115 dB @ 1 mW / 1 kHz117 dB @ 1 mW / 1 kHz Better
Wired Listening—Yes (3.5 mm cable included)
Stereo / MonoStereo or mono (variants)Stereo
Speaker Bandwidth (Calls)100 Hz - 12 kHz (speak mode)100 Hz - 8 kHz (speak mode)
Hearing ProtectionJabra SafeTone 2.0Jabra SafeTone

Noise Cancelling

Evolve2 30 SEEvolve2 85
Noise CancellingNoneDigital hybrid ANC (4 mics)
Active Noise Cancelling—Yes

Microphone

Evolve2 30 SEEvolve2 85
Microphones2 (1 analog MEMS + 1 analog ECM)10 (4 analog + 6 digital MEMS) Better
Microphone Setup1 analog MEMS and 1 analog ECM4 analog MEMS / 6 digital MEMS
Call Noise Reduction—Meets Microsoft Teams Open Office requirements
Boom MicYes (boom arm)Yes (discreet hidden boom arm)
BusylightYesYes
Mic Frequency Response—Analog 5 Hz - 20 kHz; digital 100 Hz - 8 kHz
Open Office CertifiedYesYes

Battery & Charging

Evolve2 30 SEEvolve2 85
Talk Time—26 h
Charging Time—Up to 140 min
Fast Charging—Yes (30% after 30 min)
Charging Stand—Desk stand (SKU dependent)
Music Time—37 h
Talk Time (ANC On)—21 h

Connectivity

Evolve2 30 SEEvolve2 85
ConnectionWired USB-A or USB-C (USB-C/A SKUs)Bluetooth, USB-A/USB-C Bluetooth adapter (Link 390), 3.5 mm cable Better
Bluetooth Version—5.0
USB Dongle—Jabra Link 390
Multipoint—Yes (2 simultaneous, 8 paired)
Wireless Range—30 m
CertificationsMicrosoft Teams (variant), Alcatel-Lucent, Avaya, Cisco, Unify, Mitel, CitrixLeading UC vendors; Microsoft Teams Open Office (variant)
Paired Devices—8
Bluetooth Profiles—HSP, HFP, A2DP, AVRCP, PBAP, SPP
Cable Length1.5 m Better1.2 m

Controls & App

Evolve2 30 SEEvolve2 85
ControlsCall control unit—
Management SoftwareJabra Direct, Jabra XpressJabra Direct, Jabra Xpress
Teams / Call ButtonYes (Microsoft Teams notifications on LED)Yes (Microsoft Teams notifications on LED)
IT Remote ManagementJabra XpressJabra Xpress

In the Box

Evolve2 30 SEEvolve2 85
In the BoxHeadset, protective bag, user documentsHeadset, desk stand (SKU dependent), Link 390 adapter, 1.2 m USB-C to USB-A cable, 1.2 m 3.5 mm cable, carry case
Warranty2 years2 years
Carry CaseYes (felt pouch)Yes (carry case)

Takeaways

  • It's a tie on our rating (4.5/5) between Evolve2 30 SE and Evolve2 85, so choose on the rows that matter most to you.
  • Choose Evolve2 30 SE for desk workers.
  • Choose Evolve2 85 for open offices.

Pros and Cons

Evolve2 30 SE

PROS

  • Light at 125 g (stereo)
  • Boom arm and busylight
  • USB-A, USB-C or USB-C/A variants
  • Teams version available

CONS

  • No ANC
  • Wired only

Evolve2 85

PROS

  • 10 microphones and hidden boom arm
  • Digital hybrid ANC
  • Up to 26 h talk, 37 h music
  • Link 390 adapter and 3.5 mm cable

CONS

  • Heaviest headset here at 286 g
  • Bluetooth 5.0 is older than rivals

Similar Comparisons

Quick Verdict

  • Evolve2 30 SE 8.8Best overallLeads in Comfort & Ergonomics
  • Evolve2 85 8.6Leads in Voice & Mic Clarity